cktimes.ca Archives for Notes from a Garage


Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

The passion of life, now that's incredible, under the weather, farewell Pastor Bob and yardwork

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

So, there was quite a happenin' at the William Street Cafe – and what a grand place Susan Jeffreys has created – last Friday evening as the Southwest Blues Review blew in for its Spring Fling. And I must say that we rocked the old building and had a super crowd along for the ride. And I got talking to Tony Meriano, proprietor of Tony's One Stop Music Shoppe – and Tony and I are old cats, and we've played in a lot of bands – and we were talking about how this band has the ability to create magic on some occasions. And that is a rare thing – and it's why you play – and it should be why you do anything. But every once in a while when you're on stage and the band is in the middle of it, something just happens and you hit a certain groove and it's magic – and your soul sings – and I'm not sure I can really describe it. And it happened to me first in a rock band at the Lutheran Church Coffee House in the bottom of the old Hanover Town Hall. Playing with Strange Brew and my buddy Al Day – and we created some of that magic that Sunday afternoon and I've searched again and again for it ever since. And this band – the Southwest Blues Review – Tony and I and Augie Polowick and Rob "Guitar" Watson and Byron "the Lip" Brunton and the amazing Leia Weaver – have the ability to do that once in a while........and as Crowbar would sing, "Ohhhhhhhhh, what a feeling........what a russsssssh! And I am particularly blessed because I can also capture this magic when I write. And every once in a while when my fingers are flying over the keyboard and my mind is reaching ahead to a place where my hands have yet to go, I feel that I have become one with my universe and perhaps all can indeed be well with the world. They are fleeting moments. Rare indeed. the passion of life.......

I saw a pregnant man on TV the other day.........not kidding......not even for a moment. Wow! After having spent 55 plus years on what has to be the strangest planet in the universe, I thought I'd seen just about everything. But this was more than a doozy. I was blown away. At first, I thought it was one of those YouTube videos – thought it was some kind of a joke. Then, I wanted to call someone for confirmation. Did anyone else see that and is it true? Anyway, it is true and the world just keeps on getting weirder and weirder. My Dad told me 20 years ago he thought we were headed for Soddom and Gomorah and I think we may have arrived. Men don't get pregnant – not in this or any other lifetime. I do my best to a be a liberal and be open-minded and all that other good stuff, but sometimes my conservative roots come creeping out – and this was one of those occasions. I suppose there's some reason why the man on the TV can get pregnant but most men can't, but I really don't want to know. I think this is another example of someone doing something just because they could – and perhaps not because they should have. Wow! Strange world and getting stranger......

I have to apologize to some of you folks out there over the last couple of weeks. I've been a bit under the weather and have missed a number of events I'd normally have been at with bells on. Please don't forget that if I miss your event, you can send along your own photos and a brief story and still make it into cktimes.ca. Take a look at this week's paper and you can see what I mean. Plenty of folks and organizations are busy sending me stuff all the time. It's really what makes this little paper spin.

Wanted to say that Pastor Brian Horrobin may not have his column in this week because he's been extremely busy following the untimely passing of Reverend Bob Whalls from Port Lambton United Church – and we'll certainly excuse Pastor Brian and hope you'll check back in next week. (Actually, I've just posted Pastor Brian's column for this week – a wonderfully dedicated columnist and friend.) And I also wanted to say how sorry I am to report on the death of Reverend Whalls who was a wonderfully good man who took tremendous care of God's faithful and even not so faithful. My family had been involved on several occasions with Bob and found him to be simply very good at his job – which was ministering to people who were usually in crisis – at least that's what happened in our case. Thoroughly enjoyed the man and will miss his huge smile and seeing him on his motorcycle around the area......

I hope everyone is getting out into the great outdoors these days because the weather has finally caught up to the calendar – and, man, am I glad. I was so ready for some good weather, I don't even care if my wife works me half to death doing yardwork. Seriously, I really enjoy working in the yard with Carol and hope I make a bit of a difference......besides just cutting the lawn. All the best to all my faithful cktimes readers. I hope you enjoy the little paper.

So, off to do battle for another week. Take care and remember, "Hew to the line; let the chips fall where they may."




John Gardiner is a 25-year-veteran of the community newspaper business, but he is also a prolific writer of moralistic short fiction he refers to as "emotional thoughtscapes" or "adult fables". Samples of his fiction can be found at:

He has also produced a noteworthy piece of humanist philosophy which can be found at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad502.htm He welcomes comments on his work.